Screening Matrix for 16/399 (culture of purple sea urchin) and FC 9/14 harvest
of Kelp in Ballinskelligs Bay, Co. Kerry.
Brief description of the project or plan
Briefdescription of LUC Natura nnnn
site
Culture on the foreshore of the purple sea urchin
(Paracentrotus lividus) and harvest of kelp on foreshore to
supply urchin venture with feed. The location of the site is
shown in Figure 1.
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sites are not located within any Natura site. The sites are
close to the boundary of the lveragh Peninsula SPA (Site
Code: 4154) and Ballinskelligs Bay and lnny Estuary SAC
(see Figure 1).
Iveragh Peninsula SPA is designated for the following
features:
•
Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) [A009]
•
Peregrine (Falco peregrinus) [A103]
•
Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) [A188]
•
Guillemot (Uria aalge) [A199]
•
Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) [A346]
Ballinskelligs Bay and lnny Estuary SAC is designated
for the following features:
•
Atlantic salt meadows (Glauco-Puccinellietalia
maritimae)
•
Petalwort Petalophyllum ralfsii
•
Mediterranean salt meadows (Juncetalia maritimi)
Assessment criteria
Describe the individual elements of the
project (either alone or in combination
with other plans or projects) likely to
give rise to impacts on the Natura 2000
site.
Urchin culture is carried using a series of tanks fixed to the
seabed. Urchins are sourced from a hatchery in
Dunmanus Bay and feed will be supplied by locally
sourced kelp. Kelp will be harvest by hand with
approximately 26-30 Tonnes to be harvested in any one
year. Based upon a resource assessment provided by the
applicant, this represents approximately 10% of the
standing stock of kelp in the area applied.
Describe any likely direct, indirect or
secondary impacts of the project (either
alone or in combination with other
plans or projects) on the Natura 2000
site by virtue of:
size and scale;
There would be no direct impacts from the culture
operations on any of the SACs proximate to the culture
sites. There maybe some disturbance to seabirds during
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kelp harvest along the seashore.
Distance from the Natura 2000 site or
key features of the site:
Resource requirements (water
abstraction etc.):
Emissions (disposal to land, water or
air):
Excavation requirements:
Transportation requirements:
Duration of construction, operation,
decommissioning:
Other:
The urchin culture operation in question occur within
Ballinskelligs Bay and is proposed to be approximately
600m from Iveragh Peninsula SPA and approximately
100m Ballinskelligs Bay and lnny Estuary SAC. The kelp
harvesting operations are adjacent to both Natura sites.
The resource required for the urchin culture are the kelp
which is to be harvested. It is estimated that no more than
10% of sanding stock of kelp will be harvested in any one
year.
The only emissions arising from the urchin production are
the solids faeces and pseudofeaces and dissolved
nitrogenous material (ammonium), which are excreted into
the water column. Typically the fecal and pseudofecal
pellets will fall to the tank floor and may be washed out on
each tide or be removed manually from the tank and
presumably disposed in to the water. From these activities
there is unlikely to be any direct or indirect impact on the
qualifying interests within the Natura 2000 sites.
The urchin site will be accessed via boat from a nearby
pier. As a consequence, noise and pollution e.g as a
result of a fuel spill may present a risk to features of
adjoining Natura sites. The risks are not considered
significant at the proposed level of activity.. Impacts would
be localised and minor. Also, licence conditions specify
that any vessels used in the conduct of aquaculture
operations must maintain strict operation and safety
standards, such that risks associated with noise, spills and
emissions are minimised and/or mitigated.
There are no excavation or similar activities associated
with the aquaculture activity
The produced urchins are transported offsite by vessel to
the nearest roadway and from there by lorry using the
existing national road network with no impact on the
adjoining Natura 2000 sites.
None
None
Describe any likely changes to the site
arising as a result of.
Reduction of habitat area:
Disturbance to key species:
There is no reduction in habitat area within any of the
Natura 2000 sites considered arising from the production
activities.
There is no evidence in the scientific literature to suggest
that urchin culture or kelp harvest will impact on the
conservation features of the Balinskelligs Bay and Inny
Estuary SAC. Any impacts on habitats are likely to be local
and not extend beyond the footprint of the activities.
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Therefore they are not likely to impact on any of the
adjacent SACs.
Habitat or species fragmentation:
Impact on birds is considered minimal because the
frequency of activity is low and the location is beyond the
boundaries of the SPA (i.e. below the high water mark).
There is no habitat or species fragmentation within the
Natura 2000 sites arising from the shellfish production
activities.
Reduction in species density:
There is no reduction in species density within the Natura
2000 sites arising from the production activities.
Changes in key indicators of
conservation value (water quality):
There are no changes in key indicators of conservation
value within the Natura 2000 sites arising from the shellfish
production activities.
Climate change:
Given the nature and scale of the urchin production
activities the contribution to climate change is insignificant.
Describe any likely impacts on the
Natura 2000 site as a whole in term of,
Interference with the key relationships
that define the structure of the site:
None of the activities associated with the production of
urchins at this site will interfere with the key relationships
that define the structure of the Natura 2000 sites.
Provide indicators of significance as a
result of the identification of effects set
out above in terms of:
Fragmentation:
None identified
Disruption:
None identified
Disturbance:
None identified due to distance and frequency of activity
(kelp harvest) in vicinity of SPA.
Change to key elements of the site
(e.g. water quality etc..):
Non identified
Describe from the above those
elements of the project or plan, or
combination of elements, where the
above impacts are likely to be
significant or where the scale or
magnitude of impacts is not known
None identified
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Finding of no significance effect report:
_
Name of project or plan.
Urchin culture at one site (T6-399) in Ballinskelligs Bay Co
Kerry and associated kelp harvest (FC 9/14).
Name and location of Natura 2000 site
It would be helpful for a map or plan to
be provided:
Description of the project or plan
Iveragh Peninsula SPA and Ballinskelligs Bay and Inny
Estuary SAC (Figure 1).
Is the project or plan directly connected
with or necessary to the management of
the site (provide details)?
No.
Are there other projects or plans that
together with the project or plan being
assessed could affect the site (provide
details)?
No.
Describe how the project or plan (alone
or in combination) is likely to affect the
Natura 2000 site.
None
Explain why these effects are not
considered significant,
There is no spatial overlap of the urchin culture activities,
including the harvesting of seaweeds, with Natura 2000
sites. In addition, there would be no interference with key
relationships that define the function of the sites. The
urchin culture activity in addition to the seaweed
harvesting will not result in habitat loss, there will not be
significant disturbance to key species and there will be no
habitat or species fragmentation. There will be no direct
discharge of pollutants into the environment during the
works and water quality will not be affected.
Who carried out the assessment?
The project is to licence the urchin culture activity in
Ballinskelligs Bay, Co. Kerry. The activities in question
cover approx. 0.2 ha. The area for kelp harvest covers
approximately a linear distance of approx 1km of the
foreshore.
On the basis of the above it is considered that there will be
no significnt effects on the qualifying interests of the
adjacent Natura 2000 sites.
Marine Institute
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Figure 1. Urchin culture site and kelp (seaweed) harvest location in Ballinskelligs Bay Co. Kerry.
Legend
Urchin Site T6/399
Ballinskeligs Bay SAC
Iveragh Peninsula SPA
Kelp Harvest Zone
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